Fire escape



Oct. 30 I923.

w. T. BASSETT FIRE ESCAPE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 14, 1922 W 216mm m-m Oct. 30, 1923. 1,472,203

' I W. T. BASSETT FIRE ESCAPE Filed OV- 14, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Get. 3%, 1923.

met.

WILLIAM 'r. sessnr'r, oi: n oHa'ionn, VIRGINIA.

FIRE ESCAPE.

Application filed November 14, 1922.. Serial No. 600,878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLiAr-r T. Blssnrrr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire capes, of which'the following is a specification. 7

This invention relates to fire escapes and more particularly to a c mbined coat hanger and fire escape.

An object of the invention is the provision of a compact device which may. be used as a coat hanger under normal conditions and which is available for use as a tire escape when necessary.

In the present invention, 1 provide a coat hanger frame of the usual construction and a cover for said frame to conceal the parts of the fire escape, the cover being removable when necessary and being adapted to serve as a seat or saddle when the device is em ployed as a fire escape. r

I further providea reel ofwire or other fleXible material to perinit gradual lowering of the device, and a brake adapted to engage the reel under sufiicient tension to prevent lowering of the apparatus by the weight of a coat placed thereon when the apparatus is used as a coat hanger.

In the accompanying drawings. I have shown one embodiment of the invention. in this showing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation with the cover in position,

Figure 2 is a similar View of the device with the cover partly removed,

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view on line 3-3 of Figure 2, the cover being shown in dotted lines, 7

Figure 4 is a detail view of the bracket,

Figure 5 is a front elevation showing the parts ready for use a fire escape. V

. Figure 6 ma detail sectional view on line (t-6 of Figure 2, and,

Figure 7 is a similar view on line '77 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, the re t'ercnce numeral 1 designates generally the neck of the coat hanger. As shown, this portion 01 the coat hanger is solid and is torn'iedof any suitable material, such as wood, the upper surface 2 being curved to receive the neck of a coat. A plate 3 is arranged on each side of the wooden member and the ends 01": these plates curve downwardly, as at 4, to form shoulders for the reception of the shoulders of a coat. The central portion 5 also curves downwardly away from the neck to form a support -for a reel.

A reel 6 is mounted on a suitable shaft 7 arranged between the central portion of the plates 3 and this reel is adapted to receive windings of wire 8 or other suitable material. The end of the wire extends through an opening in the center of the neck of the coat hanger and is adapted to receive a hook 9 by means of which the hanger is supported. Suitable means are provided for governing the descent of the device when it is used for a fire escape As shown, a

lever 10 is mounted on a pin 11 supported by the plates 5 adjacent the reel. The end of the lever is provided-with an opening 1.9 for the reception of the pin. Adjacent the pin, the lever is provided with a curved portion 13 adapted to engage the peripher of the reel, as shown in Figure 3. A spring 14 is secured to this lever, the other end of the spring being secured to an eye 15 mounted in the neck of the coat hanger. The outer end of the lever is provided with a handle portion 15. As stated, the hanger is provided with a cover which is adapted to conceal the operating parts of the fire escape under ordinary conditions. This cover consists of a piece of cloth 16, shaped to embrace the hanger as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing. It is provided with suitable fasteners 17 adapted to be received in sockets 18 on the opposite side of the cover. A pair of strings or tapes 19 are secured to the inner side of the cover and are formed in loops which are adapted to be arranged over the coat hanger i the manner shown in Figure 5 of the drawings when the device is employed as a tire escape. Inoperation. the device is normally arranged as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. with the tapes terior of the cover. It thus presents the appearance of an ordinary coat hanger and is in no way unsightly. The spring 14 exerts sufiicient pressure on the brake lever to prevent the cable 8 from unwinding due to theweight of a coat placed on the hanger. When the apparatus is adapted to be used as a fire escape, the fasteners 17 and 18 are unfastened, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, and the cover 16 is arranged 19 arranged on the in as shown in Figure of the drawin s t form a slingor saddle. The hook 9 fastened to' a suitable support in the room and coine the braking eflect on the reel and the cable 8 unwinds to lower the device "to the ground. If the speed of descent becomes too great, it may be checked by applying any desired force tothe brake handle to exert a greater braking action on the reel.

It is to be understood that the form of thelnvention herewith shown and described 1s to be taken as a preierred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape,

size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A fire escape comprising a supporting member, a reel carried by said member, a flexible cable mounted 'on'said reel, and a cover for said meinb 1' adapted to conceal said reel when in closed position, and being further adapted'to be secured to said sup porting member and form a seat whenin open position.

2. A combined fire escape and coat hanger further adapted to serve as a seat when the device is employed as a fire escape.

3. A combined fire escape and coat hanger comprising a member shaped to form a coat hanger, a reel carried by said member, a flexible cable mounted on said reel, a cover for said coat hanger adapted to-conceal said reel when in position and being further adapted to serve as a seat when the device is employed as a fire escape, and loops secured to the inner side of said cover, said loops being adapted to be arranged over said member when in operative position.

In testimony'whereofll aflix my signature in presenceo'f two witnesses. I 7

WILLIAM T. BASSETT.

- Witnesses GEORGE- B. (lmnnnnss, C. L. WALT ALL; 

